Railway-tie.



Patented 1an. I4, |902.

J. J. RIDGWAY.

RAILWAY TIE.

` (Applicciun med Feb. 1o, 1901.) (No Model.)v 2 Sheets-Sheei I.

Zea/lume,

No. 690,998. Patented lan. I4, |902'.

' J. J. RIDGWAY.

RAILWAY TIE.

(Application iled Feb. 19, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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JOHN J. RIDGWAY, OF ROSEBANK, NEV YORK.

RAI LWAY-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,998, dated January 14, 1902.

Application filed February 19, 1901. Serial No. ll=7,99l. (No model.)

To tI/Z whom t Wto/,y concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. RIDGWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rosebank, Staten Island, in the county of Richmond, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway-ties; and its object is to provide a tie of greater permanence or durability and of greater rigidity or freedom from spreading than is the case with the ties now in use.

The invention comprises a tie-body of rigid material, such as cement, having embedded therein a core or tie-bar ot' metal,with extensions in the form of hooks or posts adapted to approach or embrace the base of the rail, with means adapted to be inserted between such hooks or posts and the rail-base to bind the rail to the tie, such means being capable of fastening in place, but being removable when required without injury to the rest of the structure and being adjustable to suit different conditions.

In the accompanying dra\vings,Figi1re l is a vertical section of a track with a tie embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view ot' a portion thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views. Figs. 5 to 7 show modifications.

A core-rod or tie-bar l is formed with lateral extensions, brackets, or posts 2, fastened thereto or formed thereon by Welding or otherwise, said posts having hook-shaped upper ends or heads 2. Over and around this tiebar is formed the integral tie-body7 3,0f cement, concrete, or similar plastic material, the posts 2 being long enough to project somewhat above the top of the cement body.

When the tie is in place and the rails 4 are laid thereon in proper position, the hookshaped heads 2' of posts 2 embrace the base 4' of the rail or approach same on each side, so that by inserting suitable clamping devices between such head and rail-base the rail may beclampedrmlyin place. Such clampingdevices consist, preferably, of a plate 6, adapted to rest partly on the top of the rail-base,as indicated in Fig. 3, and partly by its lugs 6' on the tie-body or on apart resting on said tiebody,and a key,pin,plug,or a wedge 7, (shown separately in Fig. 4,) which is driven in between the hook of the head 2/ and the said plate 6,. The said key or pin may be tapered slightly to give a tighter t and adjustability to suit different conditions,such as slight variations in dimensions of the rail and tie,and the hook may be correspondingly tapered. After the pin is driven in it may be clenched by turning over the end, as shown in Fig. 2, the other end being preferably headed, as shown.

By the above-described means the parts are firmly locked together; but they may be readily separated at any time by unclenching and knocking out the pins 7. There is, however, no danger of accidental displacement, and the rigidity of the tie and the clamping devices is such as to prevent spreading or displacement of the rails.

I have shown a metal bearing-plate 8 resting on the tie-bar to give a more solid bearing for the rails and clamp-plates. This plate may be fastened to post 2 or loose on same, and it may rest on the cement tie-body or be embedded therein.

In case it is desired to retain some of the elasticity that is afforded by a Wooden support for the rails I provide a block 10 of wood `(shown in Fig. 5) sunk into the cement tiebo'dy 3, directly beneath the rail, the metal bearing-plate 8 being, however, shown as interposed between the said block and the rail. This wooden block extends completely across or the full width of the tie, so that no part of the rail is allowed to bear directly against the tie without theintervention of the elastic support.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another modilication, wherein the wooden block 10 is made removable, it being provided with a groove or recess 10' in its under side, which engages With a corresponding ridge or projection 3 of the cement body 3 to hold the block in place. On raising the rail a little the block can be knocked out and a new one substituted.

To enable the tie-bar to take a better hold 0n the cement in which it is embedded, it may be made of rectangular cross-section, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and may have an enlarged end portion, as shown at l in Figs. 5 and G. The body 3 of cement or other plaster material furnishes the necessary Weight and rigidity and extent of surface 'lor con- IOO tact with the ballast, while the tie-bar gives tensile strength to resist spreading, being also aided in this by the rigidity of the cement and by the bearing-plate S, if the latter be used. By the term cement as herein used I mean to include any material of like nature, such as concrete, mortar, or the like, having sufficient strength and rigidity for the purpose.

In order to give a certain amount of elasticity to the plate 6 and enable the clamping devices to adjust themselves to slight dierences in thickness or position of the parts, I prefer to make said plates with a ridge or bead 6 along their lower inner edge, the portion of the plate between such bead and the lugs 6' being thereby held free of the rail and acting as a spring to hold the rail down.

The term heads as herein used in connection with the upper ends of the posts is intended to cover the projections or projecting portions at the upper ends of the posts, whether in the hook-shaped form shown or otherwise formed to enable engagement therewith of clamping devices. These heads or projections, however, are integral with the posts themselves, and any adjustability that may be required must therefore be supplied by the separate clamping devices.

The term tie-bar is intended to cover any metallic core of any suitable construction adapted to receive and distribute the tensile strains on the tie-body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as'new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A railway-tie comprisinga body portion of plastic material with posts projecting therefrom and provided with heads formed thereon adapted to extend in proximity to the rail, and adjustable clamping means adaptedto be inserted between said heads and the rail to clamp the rail in place.

2. A railway-tie comprising a body of plastic material, a tie-bar embedded therein, posts extending from said tie bar and projecting from said body of plastic material and provided with heads formed thereon, and adjustable clamping means adapted to engage with said heads and with the rail.

3. The combination with atie comprising a body portion of plastic material, a tie-bar embedded therein and posts projecting from said tie-bar through said body portion and provided with heads formed thereon, of clamping-plates adapted to rest on the tie and on the rail, and pins adapted to be driven between said clamping-plates and said heads.

4. A railway-tie comprising a body of plastic material, a wooden block resting thereon and extending the full Width of the tie, posts projectingfrom the body of plastic material provided with heads formed thereon, and clamping means adapted to engage with said heads and with the rail, said wooden block being arranged to come beneath the rail only and furnish an elastic support for same.

5. As an article of manufacture, a tie comprisingan integral body of plastic material, a tie-rod embedded therein and posts extending from said tie-rod, projecting from said body of plastic material and provided with heads formed integral thereon adapted to extend into proximity with the rail-base on each side, and to afford support for the fastening devices inserted between said heads and the rail-base.

JOHN J. RIDGWAY.

' Witnesses:

HARRY E. KNIGHT, ARTHUR P. KNIGHT. 

